Daily Republican., 1887-10-21


q bird 70 get up there"
"Of course, I don't attempt to ex.
plain It," said Walpole, "but 1t is DOS.
sible that ages ago the mountain slop-
ed down, at least on one side. An
earthquake or landslIp may have left
it IN Its present condition, with whole
tribe of people stranded there among
the clouds. I don't say it is SO, but
that may be the way of H."
Night came upon US again, and we
were glad to rest.
"What is that? p
Hinton was standing over ne point
ing to the mountain. ] was wide
awake In a moment and listened in
tently. ...
High above the earth heard voices
singing what seemed to be q barbaric
chant. Mingled with the voices
could hear the clash and sonorous peal
OF musical instruments.
what do you say now :" asked
Walpole, coming up.
Every man 10 the camp was awak-
ened and we spent the greater part of
the night listening to the marvellous
concert in the clouds.
The dawn Of day found US looking
at each other with pale and anxious
eyes. a.
Shall we break camp and mover"
l asked,
Eyes. tomorrow, replied Walpole.
"Give me one more day. | have
found out something this morning that
may lead to great discovery. Down
there by the lake there is what appears
TO be streak of moss running in a
zigzag fashion up the mountain. Well,
that moss fringes and partially conceals
something like rough hewn or per-
haps natural flight of narrow steps
winding around up the mountain. /
am confident that sailor like myself
could manage to ascend considerable
distance, and l am going to try it,"
We raised a unanimous protest, but
WalpOle was obstinate
II will take of nay Shoes" he said.
land by crawling on my hands and
knees and by hugging the face of the
rock it will be safe
AhOAC WIS Nv "uy VI ShihtuS ulu
out OF the notion. and as he could climb
like a cat we finally agreed to let him
ryit.
1t was slow work after the brave fel-
low had got fairly started and we
watched him in breathless suspense.
He crawled at snail like pace, never
looking down, but keeping his eyes
fixed on some point above.
Two or three OF the men made a
terrible effort to follow him, but soon
had to ,etrace their steps. The path
way was so narrow that only the most
expert and surefouted climber could
make his way.
II was midday before walpole reach
cd the edge of the white cloud or mist.
After that we lost sight OF him.
How far was he from the summit
after he entered the clond? Would he
be able to proceed? Would he return
alive?
We asked each other these questions
as We waited for the result.
1t was perhaps an hour after we had
lost sight Of Walpole that we heard a
cracking, grinding noise.
We looked at the mountain, and to
our unutterable horror saw great frag-
ments of granite falling over the
mountain side, carrying with them the
last vestige OF the steps by which our
poor friend had assembled!
The debris ra.tled down into the
lake, leaving the wall perfectly up.
right and even, without the slightest
projection TO which any one could
cling.
As the sound of the falling rocks
died away we shouted the name of
Walpole. If he heard US IN the lu-
minous mist above he made no reply.
We spent one more night of anxiety
and suspense at the foot of Mount
Mystery.
There was absolutely no hope of
ever seeing our lost companion again,
but we could not tear ourselves from
the place.
For the last time that night we
heard the ringing songs and the tri-
umphant music in the cloud. 1t SEEM
ed wilder, louder, more exultant than
before. ~,
"They are rejoicing" said Hinton,
lover the capture or death of Wal.
pole"
l did not doubt it. II was not like
ly that these strange jewellers in the
air would spare one from the earth be-
low who found his way into their
midst.
The tumult on the mountain lasted
until daybreak. There was nothing
to be gained by delaying our depart
ure, and it was with sense of relief
that we marched of, hoping this time
to reach the coast.
1t would be tiresome to relate the !
story of our trials. We made our way
TO the little port where the brig await. |
ed us, and told ths captain all about
the tragic adventure at Mount Mys-
terry:
II dreaded something of the kind, ~
said the old man. "Do you know that
the mountain has figured in our sea
stories for more than century, l do
not believe in anything supernatural,
but believe that if any explorers ever
reach the top of Mount Mystery they
will find tribe of people who. with |
their ancestors, have been cut off from
the rest of the world for hundreds of
years As for poor Walpole, il does
not matter whether he Is living or
dead. He Is dead to the world. Hell
will never get out of that big white
cloud and find his way to the plains
below"
So we sailed away in the Pacific.
and from that day to this l have never
heard anything further from the mys-
lerious land in the luminous cloud
Wallace p. Reed in Atlanta Constitu-
lion.